How to identify male/female cichlids???

**yonk420** · 01-12-2006, 10:45 PM

I am very curious as to how you can tell the difference between male and female cichlids, because I have a pair of ice blue cichlids and I would like to know if they are in fact male/female or male/male. Any info from you guys will be a big help as usual.

**CentralMayhem** · 01-12-2006, 10:54 PM

scientific name or photos and id be able to give ya better info. if its an african cichlid id say it would maybe be a kenyi(Pseudotropheus lombardoi) in which the females remain blue and the males turn yellow at maturity or it could be an electric blue ahli in which case i believe males are blue and females are brown. pics or scientific name are needed

**yonk420** · 01-12-2006, 11:01 PM

I will have the scientific name posted tomorrow. I believe that they are south american and they are a type of zebra if that makes any sense! thanks for the help.

**yonk420** · 01-12-2006, 11:02 PM

I also have a african Lamprologous calvus. It is about 3 inches, what do I need to look to determine the sex?

**SinisterKisses** · 01-13-2006, 12:23 AM

If they're zebras, the should be Malawi, not South American. 'Ice Blue' can be used for a few fish, but most commonly its used for M. greshakei - in which case, males are blue with orange fins, and females are brown. Get some pics up as soon as you can, and we can help you out better

**YOULOOKLIKEAFISH** · 01-18-2006, 5:14 PM

How about tiger oscars?

**danny boy** · 01-18-2006, 5:48 PM

oscars have to be vented or wait till one lays eggs. although this isnt proof that any are male but that one is female. venting is the sure fire way to go.

**yonk420** · 01-18-2006, 8:09 PM

thanks for the correction on the type of cichlids that my zebras are sinister. I should have my pics up by this weekend. Thanks again for the help.

**JYayAD** · 01-23-2006, 7:21 PM

Some cichlids are easier than others to identify

**Scotty** · 02-06-2006, 2:23 PM

Originally Posted by yonk420

I am very curious as to how you can tell the difference between male and female cichlids, because I have a pair of ice blue cichlids and I would like to know if they are in fact male/female or male/male. Any info from you guys will be a big help as usual.

The safest way to sex fish is to vent them. This requires the fish to be of reasonable size so you can see the difference. With the male they have two small holes whilst the female will have one small and one much much larger hole. The only really reliable way of doing it.
Egg spots etc don't al;ways work. Some Malawi's have quite different colouring between themale and female but they first have to reachmaturity before the colouring shows, eg Ps sdaulosi and Met. lombardoi. As fry and young fish they are the same colour but saulosi males become blue whilst with the lombardoi the males become yellow.